Wednesday, December 19, 2012

THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT 2012



Advent brought mild weather and enough rain to get the roses blooming around the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  We were all at ministry sites until today; for Br. John it meant meetings at the School Leadership Center at UNO for two days last week. 

Center hall downstairs with a drawing of bonfires that guide 'Papa Noel' along the Mississippi
John Petrullo’s time at CafĂ© Reconcile drew to a close; he is now making the transition to Lantern Light Ministries where Br. Charles Avendano serves.  On Friday, John caught an early morning flight to Memphis, Tennessee to spend the weekend with members of his Mother’s family who moved there from Brooklyn two decades ago.

Friday evening, Matt, who had already been to see “The Hobbit” that afternoon, went with Travis to see “The Life of Pi.”  They had radically different takes on the movie.

On Saturday, December 15th, Br. Charles, Br. Bob, Br. John, Matt and Travis went to dinner with the Presentation Sisters at their home in the West End section of New Orleans.  After coming home, Travis and Matt went to Tipitina’s, a well-known music venue a short distance from our house—they were the first ones to arrive!  You live and learn--if you show up on time you are 90 minutes early for the first band.
Our front gate on Constance Street
On Sunday, Matt Beben and the community went out to celebrate his 23rd birthday which falls on December 19, 2012.  We went to Dante’s Kitchen and Matt tried the escargot and pronounced it excellent as well as the Seafood Courtbouillon, [gulf fish, shrimp, mussels, tomato shrimp broth, green onion butter crustini] which Br. Bob also had and declared very good indeed. A bit of after dinner port ended his New Orleans birthday dinner.  [The trois mignon dinner wasn’t shabby either, according to Travis.]

The 'Isaac' Memorial pillar holding up the balcony--4 month anniversary.  Flowers are growing up it.  They await estimates.
The beginning of this third week of Advent took an odd turn on Tuesday.  Dianne Collins from the buildings department of the Archdiocese of New Orleans had called a week before to schedule ‘the annual building inspection’.  Br. John did not remember 'annual inspections', but agreed and with Br. Bob labeled problem areas and made a list: nothing done on the crumbling front balcony and one of the pillars, siding and window storm window frame blown off the building four months ago, a fire door on the first floor nailed shut, a gap in the floor that allows rodents into the first floor kitchen, etc.  These have been already noted but the response is always: “We are getting bids…” or “The pastor will get bids…”
Main entrance.  We added wreaths and flowers to siding and window frame torn down by Isaac.  Sort of a still life.  It will never move unless we do it.  Doors go unpainted--we call it 'shabby chic'!
On Tuesday, signs were posted noting, once again, needed repairs and Br. John stayed home to meet the inspectors.  What a surprise he got!   Dianne arrived with Liz Lacombe from the buildings department and a group, not of building inspectors, but folks from our neighbor, Ecole Bilingue de la Nouvelle Orleans, who want to expand --who came to look the place over!  They came to inspect the building—the ‘inspection’ a bit of a ruse.  They were on their way, without permission, up the stairs to inspect our living quarters, when confronted.  When Br. John halted them he was told the top floors were only leased to the Brothers; therefore the owner had the right to walk through or ask someone else to whenever he wanted!  [Perhaps renters have no right to privacy in New Orleans?]  No permission was needed, according to the Archdiocesan reps who were acting on the direction of the pastor, so they said.  

Br. John refused permission, ["Call my Provincial" did the trick] and the folks from the building office acquiesced and left.  In a later phone call Br. John was assured that all the higher ups understood and everything now was just fine.  However, this is not the first time that one reason was given to mask another purpose, or that, at a minimum, the rights of the Brothers as tenants, let alone as a religious community, are airly ignored by folks who should know better.

But we have here no lasting city, and we are now much wiser.  “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me.”  

Guess we will enjoy it while we can; in the end it is about the money of course.  If someone will pay more rent, that is the bottom line.  This is a business, and the archdiocese and parishes have to pay bills; the parish we rent from is planning a major Church renovation that will cost lots of money no doubt.  We have to be grateful that the Archbishop has allowed us to serve the people of God here in his Archdiocese. 

And we are still here, the sun is shining and it is a beautiful time of year in New Orleans.  We are doing good things, living happily in community, surrounded by many more supporters than we can imagine.  Who knows how long it will last--at least we 'done good while we could.'

And it is Christmas.  In the light of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut and the people who lost family members, friends, neighborhoods and livelihoods after Katrina our ups and down are minimal—perhaps this recent bit was rather odd, sort of rude and sneaky, disappointing but not awful. Somebody probably meant well--or maybe they just want us to take a hint!

Anyway, we have made many good friends here, we still can and will celebrate all the good that envelopes us, and the God who comes to us in many guises.

An Advent thought:

The Church asks us to understand that Christ, who came once in the flesh, is prepared to come again.  When we remove all obstacles to his presence he will come, at any hour and moment, to dwell spiritually in our hearts, bringing with him the riches of his grace.  
                                                                                        Charles Borromeo

May God's grace and gracious presence be with you this Advent and Christmastide.


Monday, December 10, 2012

SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT 2012



Never a dull moment!  The temperature will plummet into the 40’s tonight and may only go to the high 50’s tomorrow so everyone in New Orleans [especially the weather forecasters] are rejoicing in this winter weather—it feels so much like Christmas! Well it does if you live this far South.   I kid you not.  

Our Advent wreath is out and the Christmas tree is up.  The volunteers, directed by alumna Molly Sherry, put the tree up but only put on ornaments that already had hooks attached.  They never opened the Christmas box on the top of the ornaments that contained the hooks.  Never mind, it will give visitors occupation while they are here.  And Br. John has purchased boxes of hooks for every end table drawer in the living room. 

Molly Sherry makes sugar cookies, Matt and Travis lend support. 
Br. John spent the week in schools; some coaching visits which last an hour or so, but some involve twice that time in travel, or Discovery Walks which take three to four hours, exclusive of travel.  And then the reports to type.

On Tuesday evening Sr. Monica Gundler came for dinner and to facilitate our community discussion; this was the second of four visits. 
Wednesday, the 5th, we went out to Resurrection of Our Lord in East New Orleans for a wonderful shrimp dinner.  Fr. MichaelJoseph Nguyen and Colleen Larocca made all the arrangements; her husband, Anthony, her daughter Caroline, her son-in-law Glen Davis and their 5 month old, Colt were there.  Colt is one of those incredibly serene children who seem to accept the adulation of the crowd as quite natural and only their due!  Msgr. Henry Englebrecht, our Pastor at St. Henry’s years ago, Msgr.Earl Gautreaux, the principal of the elementary school and friends of the parish were there also.  We managed to eat lots of shrimp and wonderful Vietnamese French bread and to spirit away a generous portion of Colleen’s bread pudding which is simply extraordinary.

Matt and John at Resurrection of Our Lord--later that same evening--sugar cookies!
Barry Lynch, our Province visitor, met with each of the Brothers during the week and got to see Br. Bob, Br. Charles, Matt Beben, John Petrullo and Travis Wain at their ministry sites during the week.  We had a final meeting with Barry and the Brothers on Friday evening before our usual pizza from Theo’s around the corner.  We bring it in—lazy!  

Friday night the volunteers went off to the French Quarter and snow on Fulton Street; Saturday night it was over to Algiers Point for a ‘bonfire’—a tradition among Creoles along the Mississippi lighting the path of Papa Noel at Christmas. 

Saturday the 8th we hosted a meeting of the “Newcomers”; religious who have come to New Orleans since Katrina.  We gathered in the big assembly room downstairs under the portrait of Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt for prayer, some conversation then a shared meal upstairs.  We hosted 15 Sisters; from the Congregation of the Holy Faith, Sisters of Notre Dame [Cleveland], a Cabrini, and Daughters of Charity among others.

On Sunday we suffered with Saints fans everywhere over the loss to the Giants, then the internet was weak and the dishwasher died.  However, we live in hope. 

We recall Scarlett O’Hara who reminds us: “After all... tomorrow is another day.”  

A thought from Thomas Merton:

“The Advent mystery is the beginning of the end of all in us
that is not yet Christ.”


Sunday, December 2, 2012

ADVENT 2012 BEGINS



Br. Barry Lynch arrived yesterday for visitation with the community; Molly Sherry arrived today for a visit.  She was a volunteer here in 2010-11 and facilitated the retreat evening for Iona College when Travis, a current volunteer was on their mission trip. 

During the week past we returned to our regular pursuits.  For Travis this meant long daily drives to St. Charles Parish which often meant he had to leave before our 7 AM morning prayer and return when we were already at dinner.  Matt’s ministry site has not had any big projects recently so much time is spent gearing up for the groups that will soon be arriving.  John Petrullo is in the process of transferring from CafĂ© Reconcile to Lantern Light Ministries.  Lantern Light will provide more interaction with people in need as well as a similar stipend and Americorps college repayment benefit that Matt and Travis enjoy.

We are getting older, too.

John Petrullo celebrated his 22nd birthday on December 1st with a wander through suburban Metairie with Travis and another Americorps volunteer.  A visit to “Buffalo Wild Wings” a place so renowned for its ‘wings’ that they have valet parking was one of the highlights.  After an exhausting day wandering, the birthday boy and the rest of the community went to a restaurant on St. Charles Avenue called “Zea’s.”  Wonderful.

Now Advent begins.  In this city that is always becoming, it is a particularly interesting liturgical season.  New Orleans seems to experience many natural and manmade traumas, but lives in anticipation.  It is not merely anticipation of a hoped for future; it is an appreciation that there is joy here now, that the Kingdom is in our midst if we are watchful and aware.  One engages in real conversation with the checkout clerks at Walmart and Rouse’s, the waiter or waitress does actually want you to enjoy your meal and the flourish that comes with a serving of turtle soup at Commander’s Palace is done with aplomb and no self-consciousness.  Your neighbor gives you a wine bottle wind chime that is elegant and beautiful sounding, nothing expected in return.  The visitor admires our home and is startled when told that much that is seen was donated, or given at cost. 

And at Lantern Light, the poor greet the day with hope, always say thank you, and take care of each other and the facility while the Presentation Sisters model, quite naturally and spontaneously, joy in serving Christ in strangers guise.

From John Henry Cardinal Newman
They watch for Christ
who are sensitive, eager, apprehensive in mind,
who are awake, alive, quick-sighted,
zealous in honoring him,
who look for him in all that happens, and
who would not be surprised,
who would not be over-agitated or overwhelmed,
if they found that he was coming at once…

This then is to watch:
                to be detached from what is present, and
                to live in what is unseen;
                to live in the thought of Christ as he came once,
                and as he will come again;
                to desire his second coming, from our affectionate
and grateful remembrance of his first.

Monday, November 26, 2012

THANKSGIVING AT HOME -- 2012



Brother Charles, Matthew, John and Travis managed quite well the week of November 12 while Br. Bob was in Cincinnati, Ohio at a meeting of the Catholic Volunteer Network.  Br. John was in New Rochelle, New York for a meeting of the Trustees/Members of ten schools for which we have responsibility.  The three Trustees/Members [Br. John, Br. Dan Casey and Br. Ray Vercruysse] were joined by Sr. Ona Bessette, CND and Sr. Grace D’Amico, SSND who are the Office of Educational Services which supports all of the schools with relationships to Edmund Rice Christian Brothers North America.

The province offices are in a new location, 260 Wilmot Road, a sensitively restored former home with one section dating to the 18th century.  

OUR THANKSGIVING TABLE

From the left: John P, Blakely, Br. Bob, Grace, Br. Charles, Matt, Claire, Jenn and Br. John.  Travis is in the mirror.
In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, the Brothers and Matt Beben decided to celebrate at home and to invite any Americorps personnel who worked with our volunteers and had no place to celebrate.  Originally, both John and Travis planned to see Southern relations in Memphis and Lafayette, respectively.  These latter plans did not materialize; the numbers of guests fluctuated, but Matt made sure that between the community and the guests, we had a complete Thanksgiving dinner—in fact we ended up with lots of pies, two from a neighbor who cooked in the Marines!
Matt cooks and cleans as he goes!  



Pineapple and cranberry salad--some folks still surgically remove the cranberries--go figure.
Travis fixes tangled cords of the dining room blinds, Br. Charles supervises.
Travis had a high school buddy come to visit—Ryan missed dinner because of plane delays but stayed in New Orleans at the Sheraton for the weekend.  Disappointed by a mediocre dinner at one of the casinos on Friday night, at Br. John’s recommendation he and Travis went to Ralph’s on the Park on Saturday evening.  They liked it enough to return for dinner on Sunday night after the Saints’ 31-21 loss to the 49ers.  [Br. Charles and Br. John ate there once as guests of the Ursuline Sisters who were invited by a benefactor.]  Travis got his first taste of turtle soup with a shot of sherry in it.  Delicious!

Matt Beben, having washed every article of clothing he owned while preparing the stuffing and overseeing arrangements for our Thanksgiving celebration on Thursday, caught a 5:55 AM flight Friday for Atlanta on his way to visit family in one of the Carolinas.  Br. Bob took him to the airport at 4 AM and Matt made his flight, despite missing the exit for the airport—“We were engrossed in our conversation. . . [at 4 in the morning????].”

On Saturday, November 24, Joe Failla came in and arranged for our wireless to reach all parts of the house so Br. John is now making himself an office in what was a storage closet in the side hallway of the house. With one floor to ceiling window facing front, and a 12.5 foot high ceiling, the room includes a wall of closets almost 2 feet deep and 10 feet long. The floor space is not great, measuring only 7 by 10 feet.  With wireless, however, it makes a wonderful office.  It's a good thing.  And now our technologically savvy volunteers have great reception for their multiplicity of devices even on the third floor.

THANKS

“Were there no God, we would be in
                this glorious world
                                with grateful hearts:
                                                and no one to thank.”
                                                                [Christina Georgina Rosetti]